1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a swirl chamber configuration for a nozzle assembly in a trigger sprayer for dispensing liquids where the nozzle cap is rotated 90.degree. clockwise from an "OFF" position to a "SPRAY" or to a "STREAM" position and counterclockwise from the "OFF" position to a "STREAM" or to a "SPRAY" position. More specifically, the invention relates to a configuration of slots and grooves in a nozzle cap and nose bushing assembly in a trigger sprayer that communicate with a swirl chamber located in the nozzle cap or in the nose bushing. The nozzle cap can be rotatably mounted on the nose bushing and has an "OFF" position, a "SPRAY" position and a "STREAM" position. The nozzle cap is rotated 90.degree. in a first direction from the "OFF" position to the "SPRAY" position. The nozzle cap then is rotated 90.degree. in a second direction from the "OFF" position to the "STREAM" position.
2. Description of the related art including information disclosed under 37 CFR .sctn..sctn. 1.97-1.99
Heretofore, various nozzle assemblies and swirl chamber configurations have been proposed which allow liquid to be dispensed from a trigger sprayer in either a stream or spray mode. Several examples of such assemblies are disclosed in the following U.S. Patents and Japanese Patent Publication:
______________________________________ U.S. Patent No. Patentee ______________________________________ 3,843,030 Micallef 3,967,765 Micallef 4,234,128 Quinn et al. 4,706,888 Dobbs ______________________________________
Japanese Laid Open Patent Application 183,065/1985.
The Micallef U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,030 discloses a cylindrical nozzle cap having an eccentrically located discharge orifice located radially outwardly from a center line of the cylindrical nozzle cap and through a front wall of the cap. A tubular member or nozzle bushing having a tubular extension including two diametrically opposed projections extends outwardly from the front end of a sprayer and has a passageway in the middle. In the outer end of one projection is formed a generally cylindrical swirl chamber with two slots extending to the side of the projection and communicating in a tangential manner with the swirl chamber. The other projection merely has an arcuate slot thereacross. When the cap is rotated to place the eccentrically located orifice in communication with the swirl chamber, a spray can be emitted from the sprayer and when the nozzle is rotated to place the orifice over the slot a stream of liquid can be ejected through the outlet orifice.
The Micallef U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,765 discloses a multiple nozzle cap and nose bushing assembly wherein the inner surface of the nozzle cap has diametrically opposed radial slots in the back face of a front wall of the nozzle which communicate with a cylindrical swirl chamber formed in the back face of the front wall of the nozzle cap. Generally parallel thereto and at about an angle of between 10.degree. and 30.degree. from the diameter extending through the radial slots there are tangential slots which provide for generally parallel tangential entry of liquid into the swirl chamber.
In the middle of the swirl chamber and extending through the front wall of the nozzle cap is an outlet orifice.
A nose bushing is provided having diametrically opposed notches which are arranged to communicate pressurized liquid either to the radial slots or to the tangential slots to establish either a stream mode or a spray mode of operation of the multiple purpose nozzle when the cap is rotated 10.degree.-30.degree. in one direction or 330.degree.-350.degree. in the opposite direction, clockwise or counterclockwise.
The Quinn et. al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,128 discloses a nozzle assembly for a trigger sprayer where the nozzle cap is rotated through an angle of approximately 60.degree. between an "OFF" position and a "STREAM" position and 60.degree. between a "STREAM" position and a "SPRAY" position.
The nozzle cap has a cylinder therein which extends rearwardly from the back face of a front wall of the nozzle cap. In the center of the front wall is an orifice which communicates with a generally cylindrical swirl cavity formed in the back face of the front wall. A first pair of longitudinally extending, diametrically opposed passages are formed in the inner wall of the cylinder adjacent a rear end thereof. Extending from the inner wall of the cylinder in the back face and in alignment with the longitudinally extending passages are diametrically opposed swirl or turn passages that extend to the swirl cavity.
A nose bushing is provided with a generally cylindrical core which has a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinally extending grooves in an outer periphery thereof that extend rearwardly from a front circular face of the core. The front face of the core also has a transverse diametrically extending slot located approximately 30.degree. away from the ends of the grooves opening onto the front face. The transverse slot is in communication with a waterway in the nose bushing when the cap is rotated to a "STREAM" position and the passages, which are always in communication with the waterway, are in communication with the grooves when the cap is in a spray position.
The Dobbs U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,888 discloses a nozzle assembly for a liquid dispenser where a nozzle cap is rotatably mounted on a fixed plug of a nose bushing.
In the Dobbs nozzle assembly, the plug extends outwardly from the front end of a trigger sprayer and has longitudinal slots therein which communicate with tangential or radial slots in the front face of the plug. In the center front face of the plug there is formed a generally cylindrical swirl chamber. Three radial slots located approximately 120.degree. from each other are provided in the front face of the nose plus and three generally tangential slots, i.e., slots which enter the swirl cavity on a tangent, are formed in the front face of the plug and are displaced from each other by approximately 120.degree..
The nozzle cap has a cylinder extending rearwardly from the back face of a front wall of the cap and has three longitudinal extending slots which are equidistantly spaced around the cylinder 120.degree. from each other. The longitudinal extending slots in the cylinder extend from a rear end of the cylinder to a position spaced inwardly of the front wall of the nozzle cap and at a position which is behind the slots in the front face of the plug. The cap is positioned on the plug, such that in an "OFF" position the longitudinal slots in the cap do not communicate with any of the longitudinal and radially extending slots in the plug. Then, when the cap is rotated clockwise from the "OFF" position 90.degree., the slots in the cylinder will be aligned with the radially extending notches in the front face of the plug to establish a "STREAM" mode of operation of the trigger sprayer.
Then, when the cap is rotated 90.degree. from the "OFF" position, a "SPRAY" mode of operation of the trigger sprayer is established where the longitudinal slots in the cap communicate with the tangential slots in the front face of the plug.
Japanese Patent 2-20303 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 183056/1985) discloses a nose bushing having a swirl chamber formed in the front face thereof which is received over a cylinder extending rearwardly from the back face of a front wall of a nozzle cap. The cylinder extending rearwardly from the back face of the nozzle cap has one radial passage and one tangential passage which are located approximately 60.degree. from each other. An outer wall surrounding the swirl cavity at the outer end of the nose bushing plug or core has a tangential passageway therein which will align with the tangential passageway in the cylinder extending from the back face of the front wall when the cap is rotated to one position on the nose bushing. A radial passageway is also provided in the annular wall surrounding the swirl cavity and is located approximately 90.degree. from the tangential passageway, such that rotation of the cap approximately 120.degree. from an "OFF" position clockwise will place the tangential passageways in the annular wall and the cylinder, respectively, in alignment to create a "SPRAY" position.
Then, when the cap is rotated from the "OFF" position 220.degree. counterclockwise, the radial passageways in the annular wall and the cylinder, respectively, are aligned so that a "STREAM" or jet position is established.